The mom of seven-year-old Athena Strand has shared a chilling message to the man accused to kidnapping and killing her daughter.
On Wednesday, Athena's stepmother reported the child missing after Athena had disappeared from her father's home in Paradise, Wise County, Texas.
Per The Independent, Athena had returned from school that afternoon as usual, but after a disagreement with her stepmom, she reportedly left the family home. Athena's father was out on a hunting trip at the time.
However, when Athena's stepmother went to tell Athena that her dinner was ready, she noticed the child was not in her room, per Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin.
At approximately 6:40PM, the stepmother called 911 and alerted the authorities about Athena's disappearance.
Over the next few days, the local police and the Texas Department of Public Safety were joined by US Marshals, the FBI, Texas Rangers, and hundreds of volunteers to help find Athena.
Tragically, on Friday evening, Akin told reporters at a press conference that Athena's body was found southeast of the city of Boyd, roughly 11 miles away from her father's home.
The sheriff then revealed that 31-year-old FedEx contract driver Tanner Lynn Horner has been arrested on the charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. Officials have revealed that Horner - of Lake Worth, Texas - had delivered a package to the girl's home around the time she went missing.
NBC DFW has reported Horner has confessed to killing Athena, with authorities believing that Athena was taken from the family's driveway and killed within the hour.
Following the tragic news of her daughter's death, Athena's grieving mom, Maitlyn Gandy, has taken to social media to pay tribute to her "princess" and flood Facebook with images of her daughter.
Gandy has also penned a message aimed at Horner.
Sharing images of Horner's mugshot, Gandy wrote the following message:
"This is the monster that took my baby from me and this world. You will know her name, Tanner. Her name IS Athena Presley Monroe Strand. I know your DOB, 8/8/1991. Do you know hers? I will make damn sure you learn what you took from me and her daddy."
In another post, Gandy paid tribute to Athena, expressing her wish to have as many people as possible "know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is".
"I want the world to know my baby, my first baby, my first true love, the reason I breathe," she writes. "I love my daughter beyond words and I will always love her."
The mother's post continues: "I cannot describe the pain and absolute anger I feel. Missing her doesn’t cover how I feel. My daughters name is Athena Presley Monroe Strand, which she would happily announce to anyone listening, and anyone not listening she would make listen.
"My princess was taken from me from a sick, cruel monster for absolutely no reason.
"Athena is innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet. I don’t want her to be the girl known as the one murdered and discarded by a monster. I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me."
"I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is," the mom concludes.
In another post, Gandy listed her late daughter's favorite things - noting that her "favorite color is pink. She loves to dress up as the princess we all know she is. When she grows up, she wants to be a Viking princess".
"Athena is loved by mommy and daddy, and all of her sisters, many many aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents," the mom adds.
Finally, mentioning the upcoming case into her daughter's death, Gandy wrote: "She no longer has a voice but I will be the best voice I can as a mother for her and I will not stop."
Horner is currently being held on a $1.5 million bond.
Our thoughts continue to go out to everybody affected by this tragedy.